easiest ever frosting

makes about 1.5 cups of frosting

ingredients
1.5 sticks of butter, room temperature
1 c confectioners’ sugar
2-4 spoons of water or milk

directions
using an electric mixer on medium-low, beat the sugar with the stick of butter. add a teaspoon or so of water or milk to thin to your desired consistency.

source – from rachael ray magazine, december 2015, pg. 95

mini cinnamon rolls

prep time: 20 minutes
cook time: 13-15 minutes
total time: 35 minutes
makes about 2 dozen rolls

ingredients
4 (8 oz.) cans refrigerated crescent rolls
1/4 c melted butter
1/4 c sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 c powdered sugar
1 tsp milk

directions

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. sprinkle flour on the surface you’re going to be working on.
3. open rolls and roll dough out, pressing the perforations together.
4. spread the butter over the dough.
5. mix cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle evenly over the dough.
6. roll the dough up from the short end and then slice into 1 inch slices.
7. place slices on a cookie sheet about 2 inches apart and bake for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown.
8. mix the powdered sugar and milk to make a glaze and drizzle on top of warm rolls.
9. enjoy !

source – cooking with mrs. bly, february 11, 2021 (submitted by vinny)

doubletree chocolate chip cookies

yields about 3 dozen cookies

ingredients
2 sticks of butter, softened
3/4 c granulated sugar
3/4 c light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp lemon juice
2 1/4 c flour
1/2 c rolled (or old fashioned) oats
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
pinch of cinnamon
2 1/3 c nestle tollhouse semi-sweet chocolate chips (about 1/2 12 oz. bag)
1 3/4 c chopped walnuts

directions

1. preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a bowl with a mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes.
3. Add eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice, blending with mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, then medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy, scraping down bowl.
4. with mixer on low speed, add flour, oats, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, blending for about 45 seconds. don’t overmix.
5. stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.
6. portion dough with a scoop (about 3 T) onto a baking sheet about 2 inches apart. (personal note: use blue baking mat or just put dough directly on cookie sheet, not brown-edged one mat. the cookies will spread too much on that one. 6 cookies to a cookie sheet.)
7. bake for 20-23 minutes or until edges are golden brown and center is still soft.
8. remove from oven and cool on baking sheet for 20 minutes.
9. cook’s note: you can freeze the unbaked cookies and there’s no need to thaw. preheat over to 300 degrees and place frozen cookies on baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

source

joanna gaines’s zucchini bread

prep time: 30 minutes       cook time: 50-60 minutes       total time: 80-90 minutes

makes 2 loaves

ingredients
1 1/4 c vegetable oil

2 c sugar

4 eggs

1 T vanilla extract

2 medium zucchini (about 3 c zucchini) –  [i used 4 small zucchini. the ones she used in the video were pretty big, even though she said 2 medium zucchini, so i figured 4 small would equal to the 2 large ones she used.]

3 c flour

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 c chopped nuts (optional)

directions

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees. lightly grease 9×9 pan (or 2 loaf pans)***.
2. whisk vegetable oil, sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs until smooth. (wet ingredients)
3. shred zucchini (in food processor or using a shredder). place shreds in a kitchen cloth. wrap and squeeze excess water out. Set aside for later.
4. mix flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined. be careful not to over mix. (dry ingredients)
5. fold chopped nuts into zucchini.
6. mix wet ingredients, dry ingredients, and nuts/zucchini just until combined.
7. pour into pan(s) and bake for 50-60 minutes.
8. keep checking with a toothpick if the bread is done.
9. cool for 15-30 minutes before serving.

***(my personal notes) when using a glass loaf pan with regular metal pan, don’t fill the glass pan as full.

source

oreo ice cream cake

prep time: 20-25 minutes       freeze time: 4-5 hours (or overnight for best results)       makes 10-12 servings

ingredients
1 package oreo cookies
4 T butter, melted (for very firm crust, use 6-8 T)
a 1/2 gal. container of vanilla/chocolate ice cream, softened
chocolate syrup
1 8oz. containers of whipped topping, softened

directions

1. crush the oreos into crumbs by running them through a food processor or putting them in a ziplock bag and crushing them. save 1/2 c of crushed oreos for topping.
2. in a small mixing bowl, pour the ziplock bag of crushed oreos in and add the melted butter. stir until evenly coated.
3. spread the oreo/butter mixture into a greased 9″x13″ pan, pressing firmly to form a crust on the bottom of the pan.
4. spoon softened ice cream onto the oreo crust. spread evenly.
5. drizzle chocolate syrup in a thin layer over the ice cream.
6. spread whipped topping on top of the chocolate syrup.
7. sprinkle the reserved oreo crumbles on top of the whipped topping.
8. freeze for at least 4-5 hours or, for best results, overnight.
9. remove from freezer for about 5 minutes to thaw slightly before serving.

source